Shut Up and Dance
by HARRY.POTTER.QUICHE
Summary: The first six times Lily Evans saw James Potter.


**The Valentine Making Station: Cartoon animal, Hair bow**

 **Scavenger Hunt: a muggle camera**

 **The New Quidditch Pitch: 'Come with me.'**

 **Disclaimer: The characters are Rowling's and the song of course is 'Shut up and dance' by Walk the Moon**

…

The first time Lily Evans met James Potter she didn't know it was him.

She had held her camera out to what she thought was a random stranger in the street, asking him to take a photo (of her, Marlene and Dorcas. They were having a girl's night without boyfriends or boy friends) He had winced and apologised, saying that he was just trying to have a day off and wasn't taking any pictures. Before she had a chance to say anything back to him, an embarrassed Marlene pulled her bewildered friend back, apologising to the guilty-looking man.

"You just asked James fucking Potter to take a picture of us, you moron!"

It took Lily a moment to clock the name in her mind, before realising that the now-vaguely-familiar man she had asked for a photo was indeed the main singer and guitarist of the Marauders- the band Marlene had been going on about for months.

Shit. That was awkward.

...

The second time she met him, it appeared, to her surprise, that he knew her.

She had got backstage tickets for Slamdunk, to meet Panic! At the Disco, only for her to crash into the one and only James Potter on her way there. He immediately held out his hands to steady her.

"Sorry! Are you alright?"

She nodded quickly. "Yeah, sure, sorry about that. Wasn't looking where I was going."

He looked at her thoughtfully for a minute, before saying, "You're the girl from the street the other day! I am so sorry about that, I was just in a bad mood. I've been feeling really bad about it. Do you want to take a picture now? You must really want that picture if you paid for backstage tickets." He teased.

It took Lily a moment to realise what he was saying and rushed to correct him.

"No! I was backstage to meet P!ATD; their room is just through there." She pointed. "And about the other day," she blushed. "Um, I was actually asking you to take a photo of me and my friends. I didn't realise who you were, I'm afraid."

James blinked at her for a second before comprehension dawned on his face. "Oh my God, I am so sorry! I must have looked like such a prat."

Lily laughed. "I was mainly confused. Marlene had to explain who you were. She was embarrassed for me. She's a fan. She was really annoyed that she couldn't come tonight."

"So, who are you here with?" He smirked slightly. Was he hitting on her? Lily wasn't sure how to cope with a celebrity being apologetic and embarrassed. Being hit on? She could deal with that.

"A group of friends. Well, we started off as a group, and kind of drifted apart. Dorcas, Mary and Kingsley went to get drunk, Alice and Benjy went to the main stage and Frank will be waiting for me outside. Said he wasn't very interested in seeing me ogle over other guys." She said, looking happily towards the door she came through and then wistfully at the door ahead. (She still boasted over the fact that it was her using Frank as her pretend boyfriend-when she got hit on- that had prompted Alice and Frank to get together. It did make her feel a bit guilty now though, because she knew it used to annoy Alice a little.)

James seemed to get the hint however.

"I'll let you go and ogle over your celebrities then," he said, gesturing ahead.

She smiled, and gave a little wave as she went ahead.

She decided not to tell Marlene.

...

The third she met James Potter, she found herself to be his knight in shining armour.

He was surrounded by teenage girls in the middle of the mall, when he saw Lily.

"Hey!" He called out, looking relieved as he made his way over to her, smiling and waving goodbye at the girls. "It's you again!" He looked thoughtful for a moment. "What did you say your name was again?"

She looked at the teenage girls, all attached to their phones and seemingly posting whatever pictures they had just got on Instagram. "I didn't. Using me as an excuse to run from teenage girls, mister?"

The star smiled bashfully at her. "Well... They are a bit much."

Lily rolled her eyes. "Your decision to become a bloody rock star."

He laughed. "Yeah, I guess. I like it really. And it's a great ego boost." She rolled her eyes. "Talking of egos, should I be offended that you didn't know who I was and didn't want a picture?"

She snapped her eyes to his and glared. "Guess I'm just not one of your petty teenage fangirls." She snapped. Then she saw the look on his face and realised he was joking.

"Remind not to get in your bad side, then." He joked.

She punched him gently on the arm.

They ended up chatting for a while, before she saw the time.

"Gotta dash, meeting Frank."

He blinked and his face fell a tad.

"Yeah, yeah, sure. I'll see you around."

She wondered, as she walked away, if his face had fallen because she was leaving _him,_ or because she was leaving him the mercy of teenage fans, and then she remembered that he thought Frank was her boyfriend.

She turned around to get a final look at him, and found him watching after her. He gave her a smirk; she rolled her eyes.

"You still haven't told me your name!" He called as she turned around.

She didn't turn back.

Marlene didn't believe that she had turned up late for her meeting time with Frank because of an old school friend.

...

The fourth time she saw James Potter, she didn't actually meet him in the flesh.

He was on the front cover of a magazine. And so was she.

Someone had photographed her punching him in the arm and the words 'New Girlfriend for Marauder's star, James Potter?'

She had to admit, they did look rather couple-y. Now that she actually looked at him, even in a photo, she realised that they did actually look good together.

He was hot.

She had vaguely noticed this before, of course. Marlene had gone on about him and Sirius Black for ages, and shown her pictures until she admitted that, yes, he was hot as hell. Seeing him the first time she hadn't really clicked, but the second and third time she had noticed that he was incredibly good looking.

He had soft hazel eyes, and messy hair that looked natural, but she knew he must have spent hours styling it. Or someone else styled it for him.

She couldn't deny that he was well built, and his glasses were kind of dorky but cute. It wasn't until she got to know him that she realised he was also funny, and kind, and- although he acted slightly arrogant- modest.

The photo didn't do him justice, slightly blurry and from an awkward angle, but he looked good.

And so did she.

While the picture didn't show James' best angle, it was definitely a flattering picture of Lily.

She had actually bothered to do her hair nicely that morning, and had worn something nice. They had been meaning to go out that afternoon, only they had missed the train because she spent so much time chatting to James. They ended up meeting with Marlene for a movie night, and were joined by the whole group. Marlene kept asking questions about the 'old school friend' she had met and kept glancing at her suspiciously during the evening, no matter how many times she assured them she didn't have a super-secret boyfriend.

Both James and Lily looked good, but mainly they looked good together. James was smiling at her, and even if it wasn't the paparazzi, which preyed on any and everything, she could understand why someone might think they were together. She was standing close to him. When had that happened?

They weren't flirting.

Were they?

She refused to tell Marlene why she was glaring at a magazine at three o'clock in the morning.

...

The fifth she met James Potter, it was her turn to go up to him again.

She was in a club, having been dragged along by Marlene. She had made her put on a sexy, red, backless dress, and put on makeup.

They were sitting in a small table at the back, and Marlene was eye-fucking some girl on the other side of the room. When the girl gestured towards the dance floor, Marlene turned to Lily and gave her a questioning look.

"Can I?"

Lily shrugged. "Go for it."

Marlene sighed and slouched down in her chair. She eyed Lily for a second, then got up and went over to the girl.

Lily rubbed her eyes and ordered another G&T. She was tired and really hadn't felt like going out tonight. She was wallowing in self-pity, when her best friend plopped back down on the stool next to her.

She blinked. "I thought you were—"

Marlene rolled her eyes. "You're sad. The girl can wait." Lily turned to look at the girl, and she was watching them, leaning against the bar, and obviously waiting for the blonde.

Lily turned back to Marlene. "Why did you tell her to wait? You can go, I don't mind."

"Lily. You've been miserable ever since you saw that magazine article with James Potter and that ginger girl. I took you out to cheer you up, and get you laid, but you're still grumpy. So tell me. Why do you suddenly care about James Potter having a girlfriend? Had a celebrity crush ever since you met him on the street?"

Lily glared at her friend. "Marlene, I'm fine. Go get the girl. You don't have to get me laid. I'm fine."

"Please. You need it, and I know you need me to get you a guy."

Lily gave Marlene a look that would kill a lesser being, but Marlene was used to it and rolled her eyes.

"Hey, I could get a guy if I wanted to. But I don't."

"You need it."

"No I don't."

"Yes, you do. Besides, I think you're just saying that because you couldn't get one."

"I could most definitely get a guy! Any guy here, in fact."

Marlene snorted and Lily stood up.

She stalked towards the bar, slammed her empty glass on the bar, and headed for a cute looking, black-haired guy in a dark corner, two of his friends leaving him, and getting up for a dance.

She was half way there when she realised that Marlene had done this on purpose, tricking her into dancing. Marlene had told her time and time again that she could get any guy. But her pride couldn't take a backing down now. She lifted her head and tapped the guy on the shoulder.

When he turned around, she was met by those soft hazel eyes.

"You!" He cried.

Lily didn't think twice. She grabbed his arm and pulled him onto the dance floor.

He followed her confusedly.

"Uh..."

"Shut up and dance with me."

James cocked his head bewilderedly (and adorably) in question, but danced along to the beat of the song.

She glanced back to her table, and saw him try to follow her gaze.

"Don't you dare look back. Just keep your eyes on me."

He raised an eyebrow, but moved closer, and grabbed her hand.

She hesitated, then put an arm around his neck.

"You're holding back." He grinned.

"Shut up and dance with me."

His grin grew into a smirk, and he followed her orders, not talking.

He managed for about thirty seconds, before snorting. "Nice sneakers." Lily looked down at her old, dirty high tops. She glared him. He raised his hands in surrender. "Sorry!"

He winked, and she rolled her eyes, but didn't remove her arm.

They danced together, and if you asked Lily afterwards how long they danced, she wouldn't be able to say.

She finally looked around, however, and saw that Marlene was long gone.

She'd probably taken the car too. Bitch.

James lifted her chin. "You alright?" Lily blinked slowly at him.

They gazed at each other for a few seconds, or minutes, or hours, and Lily couldn't look away. Then, next to them, a guy dropped his drink over his date's dress, and the resulting squeal was enough to bring Lily out of it.

She ran a hand through her hair and stepped back.

"I should get going." She spoke loudly, over the music. "My friend's just gone, so I should catch Alice before she leaves too."

Alice wasn't here, but she knew her friend would come and pick her up if she called. She checked her phone was still on her, and saw the time. God, she had to get up in the morning! She should have left earlier.

She looked back to James, to say goodbye, only to realise she had missed something he had been saying.

"Listen, I have to go," she said. "Sorry!"

She turned and almost ran out of the dance club.

She called Alice and got a lift.

She was going to kill Marlene.

...

The sixth time she saw James Potter, there were thousands of people between them, but they couldn't have missed one another.

"Do I have to come?" Lily whined for the hundredth time as Marlene pulled her into the car.

Dorcas laughed. "Come on Lils, suck it up. They really aren't that bad."

"Excuse me!" Cried Marlene. "Not that bad! They are amazing. You'll be thanking me for years and years to come." She assured Lily, who groaned but sat in the car, ignoring them as they talked in the way to the stadium.

When they got there, they appeared to be half way through the concert already. Marlene announced her intentions of bloody murder towards Lily for making them late as they physically fought their way through the crowd to get to a decent spot, where they could actually see the stage.

The second Lily saw the stage, her eyes went to James. He was looking more styled than when she had seen him the last few times, dressed in a leather jacket, matching the bassist, drummer and lead guitarist who were also on stage.

Lily looked around at the screaming fans, and knew that she didn't deserve all of the coincidences that ended up in her knowing their idol better than any of them. She wasn't even a fan, but all of the meetings had been like a fangirl's dream. Then James stepped up to the microphone, looking irrevocably gorgeous, and she stopped thinking.

"Hey everyone!" There was an answering scream. "This next song is about someone I met not that long ago. I hope she hears it."

Everyone in the audience aw-s or cheers and he smirks. He grabs his guitar, and the song starts.

 _'"Oh, don't you dare look back; just keep your eyes on me." I said, "You're holding back." She said, "Shut up and dance with me!" This woman is my destiny. She said, ooh-ooh-hoo, "Shut up and dance with me."'_

Lily almost fell over. He wasn't, was he?

' _We were victims of the night. The chemical, physical, kryptonite. Helpless to the bass and the fading light. Oh, we were born to be together, born to be together.'_

Oh my God. He was.

' _She took my arm, I don't know how it happened. We took the floor and she said, "Oh, don't you dare look back. Just keep your eyes on me." I said, "You're holding back," She said, "Shut up and dance with me!" This woman is my destiny. She said, "Ooh-ooh-hoo, Shut up and dance with me."_

Lily whimpered slightly.

' _A backless dress and some beat up sneaks. My discothèque, Juliet teenage dream. I felt it in my chest as she looked at me. I knew we were born to be together, born to be together._

 _She took my arm; I don't know how it happened. We took the floor and she said, "Oh, don't you dare look back. Just keep your eyes on me." I said, "You're holding back," She said, "Shut up and dance with me!" This woman is my destiny. She said, "Ooh-ooh-hoo, Shut up and dance with me."_

 _Oh, come on girl! Deep in her eyes, I think I see the future. I realize this is my last chance.'_

Lily knew her friends were watching her weirdly. She tried to school her features into a poker face. She failed.

' _She took my arm. I don't know how it happened. We took the floor and she said, "Oh, don't you dare look back. Just keep your eyes on me." I said, "You're holding back," She said, "Shut up and dance with me!" This woman is my destiny She said, "Ooh-ooh-hoo, Shut up and dance!"  
"Don't you dare look back; just keep your eyes on me." I said, "You're holding back," She said, "Shut up and dance with me!" This woman is my destiny. She said, "Ooh-ooh-hoo, Shut up and dance with me."_

A few people around Lily were looking at her a little worriedly. She took a few deep breaths.

Oh, God.

She turned to Dorcas, and leant over. Dorcas who had been watching her carefully, leant closer to, so Lily could whisper in her ear.

"Um, what would you do, if you met a hot celebrity a few times, and one of those times you danced with him in a club, and then a few days later your obsessed friend drags you to one of his concerts and he sings a song about you being his 'destiny'?" she asked all in one breath.

There was a moment of terrifying silence.

Then, "oh, shit."

"Yeah, 'oh shit'!"

"Marlene's gonna be mad as hell."

"Yes, Marlene's gonna be mad as hell."

"This bloke is probably head over heels for you!"

"Yes, this bloke is kind of head over heels for me!"

"You've got to talk to him!"

"Yeah, I've got to talk to him!"

"You're as head over heels for him as he is for you!"

"Yeah, I — wait, what?"

"Oh my God, come with me!"

Dorcas grabbed Lily's hand, despite her protests and dragged away from Marlene, yelling "BATHROOM!" over her shoulder at Marlene.

Once they got away from the crowd, Dorcas pulled Lily behind a toilet. "Okay, how are going to get him to see you?"

Lily put a hand on Dorcas' shoulder. "Dorcas, I am not head over heels for — oh my God." Lily froze and looked, terrified, at Dorcas. "I am head over heels for James Potter."

Dorcas nodded slowly at her like she was an idiot. "Of course you are! No need to look so terrified. The guy likes you back! It isn't like that time last year when you had a crush on Mary's boyfriend."

Lily gaped. "I did not have a crush on Adrian!"

Dorcas rolled her eyes. "Yeah, you did. Everyone saw it, even Mary. Well, everyone except Adrian. That's why Mary broke up with him, you know. She knew you liked him more, so gave you a chance with him. You were too awkward to do anything about it. Besides, I didn't even say it was Adrian! I could've been talking about Arthur! Or Joseph, or David, or Anthony—"

"Okay! You made your point. I liked Adrian. But what has that got to do with James Potter!"

Dorcas softened. "Lily, you have that face on again. That 'feeling sorry for yourself' face. You like him. He likes you. God, he just sang about his love for you in front of hundreds of people! What's wrong?"

Lily stared and didn't seem to have heard Dorcas. She sighed. "Tell you what, I have a plan."

That is how Lily found herself, twenty minutes later, on Dorcas' shoulders in the middle of hundreds of people, literally hoping to be noticed by a celebrity.

Remus picked up his microphone and started talking to the crowd, making some joke about chocolate, which Lily doesn't really hear. She's watching James, and waiting for his eyes, scanning the crowd, to reach hers.

When they do, sparks fly.

She sees the surprise on his face, and the way his mouth falls open. Even though there are at least a hundred people between them, she feels like it is just the two of them, and she can see right into his eyes.

She carefully mouths the words 'by the tent, after the show', gesturing towards the backstage tent behind the stage. He looks confused and she mouths the words again.

He nods enthusiastically, looking like a little puppy, and she couldn't help but grin and laugh, making him beam all the more.

Then, Dorcas complains about her being heavy, and the moment goes. He's far away, and she couldn't even tell you the colour of his eyes from here. She drops off Dorcas' shoulders and tries to enjoy the concert.

At the end, she circles back to then tent. Barely seconds later, he comes sprinting around the back of the tent, grinning excitedly.

She laughs. He smirks.

"You know, you still haven't told me your name." he teases.

She holds out a hand. "Lily Evans."

Marlene forgives her when she introduces her to Remus Lupin, Sirius Black and Peter Pettigrew.

And, just like Marlene had said, Lily was thanking her for years and years.

(She thanked her on the day of what the tabloids called ' _The Proposal',_ and she thanked her after the wedding. She thanked her on the day Harry was born, and she thanked her when she was the best godmother in the world. She never really stopped thanking her, and James laughed, and laughed. He told her it was an ego boost, and she told him to shut up.

They never stopped taking pictures either, on the happiest day of her life, and the day she got hitched, and her son's birthday, and when they became the best family in the world. She never really stopped taking photos, and James laughed, and laughed. He told her it was an ego boost and she told him to shut up.)


End file.
